The Lure
You may have heard of Wind Voyager as the headline sponsor for the Triple-S Invitational. They run kiteboarding yacht charters aboard their two luxury catamarans, 'Cartouche' and 'Poseidon’s Pearl'. Short of a trip to Necker Island, Wind Voyager tours may well be the swankiest kite trips on the planet!
The setup
Wind Voyager offer trips in the western Mediterranean from June to October and in the Caribbean from November to April.
Summer destinations are the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza), Corsica and Sardinia. Based on your riding level and what you are looking for in your overall experience on board, Wind Voyager will suggest the best potential destinations for you and away you’ll go!
Wind Voyager’s winter destinations include the Grenadines, Antigua & Barbuda and the British Virgin Islands. Antigua & Barbuda offer a mix of amazing flat-water and wave riding conditions while the BVIs are phenomenal for sailing and cruising. There are also some incredible kiteboarding anchorages as well as some great downwinders you can do between islands.
In the Windward Islands of the Grenadines you can expect some of the steadiest and most reliable winds in the Caribbean. Frigate Bay on Union Island has possibly the flattest water imaginable and some of the best wave riding in the Grenadines can be found off Palm Island. All of these spots are kite-able from the boats which will anchor right on the spot every day.
If you want the finest five star experience, Wind Voyager also sail to some of the most exclusive islands in the whole of the Caribbean. The French island of St. Barts in the northeast Caribbean is one such location with its white sandy beaches, trendy boutiques and incredible fine-dining restaurants and bars, like the famed Nikki Beach Bar. If you’re looking for true opulence you’ll find it here, but there’s also some solid surfing and SUPing to be had on the north side of the island, while Grand Cul-de-Sac is a great kite spot.
Wind, weather and water
In the Med, the wind can blow anywhere from the mid-teens to high forties when the Mistral winds kick in, whereas the Balearics usually have winds averaging 14 - 18 knots which allows for a relaxed combination of kiteboarding, foiling and island experiences if you’re travelling with a mixed group of kiters and non-kiters.
On the Caribbean cruises, the prevailing winds blow from the east, averaging around 15 knots. The trade winds are at their most reliable from December to March and you can expect to be out on 9 to 12 metre kites. Temperatures are a very pleasant 30°C / 85°F while the water is 24°C / 75°F all year round. A neoprene top can come in handy if the wind switches to the north during the winter, but that’s as much as you’ll need.
INSTRUCTION
These cruises aren’t just for experienced or advanced kiters. There are always two instructors aboard, so the trips are ideal for beginners as you can literally wake up, have breakfast and then step off the boat and be doing your first body drags and water starts with no delay whatsoever. After a busy morning of nailing your first downwind runs you'll be scooped up by the jet-ski if you’re starting to tire, taken back to the boat for a quick break, and can then do it all again!
Wind Voyager’s team riders, two time KPL champion and expert coach Sam Light and WKL competitor Rita Arnaus, can also be booked for the duration of your trip. They’ll fly out to meet you and then deliver daily coaching to help you really ramp up your riding level.
The boats
CARTOUCHE
This 95' custom-built catamaran (one of the biggest in the world) was totally refitted in 2017 and has three en-suite queen guest cabins and one spacious master cabin to comfortably sleep eight guests.
Aside from the crew of four there are two instructors onboard and a jet-ski and rib as your support vessels. The boat is also packed with toys, including SUPs, wakeboards and snorkel gear and there’s a kite locker filled with the latest Slingshot and Ride Engine equipment (including foils) for your daily use. There’s even a jacuzzi on the deck for an after session wind-down!
POSEIDON’S PEARL
Although smaller, this is no less epic as there is also space for eight guests in incredible cabins, plus there's an onboard bar and lounge and the boat is once again packed to the gunnels with gear. At your disposal are SUPs, fishing, snorkelling and dive equipment and the latest Slingshot and Ride Engine gear. You can launch off the back of the boat or the crew will drive you to shore and help you rig up at whatever island you’ve happened to visit that day. The choice is yours.
NO WIND
If there’s no wind the Wind Voyager crew will keep you busy. If you'd like an introduction to foiling then they can tow you behind the tender as you master the basics. Alternatively go diving or snorkelling using one of the onboard Seabobs (those handheld propulsion things you’ve probably seen before in James Bond movies) or you can go stand-up paddling. The jet-skis and support boats are also at your disposal.
Depending on the location, you can also go hiking on nearby islands, visit incredible restaurants and local beach bars or Wind Voyager can arrange beach barbecues or live music. If you’ve booked on to a summer cruise around the Balearics then a night or two’s stopover in Ibiza is always worth a look as well!
Where you'll go
Your cruise itinerary will be tailored to your preferences ahead of time. So whether you want flat water, wave riding, downwinders, or just a mixture of everything, you just need to tell Wind Voyager in advance of your trip and they’ll plot a course to find the conditions you’re hoping for! The Wind Voyager kite coaches will rig your kites for you and get them ready every morning so that all you need to do is put your harness on and go.
WIND VOYAGER
